ARE WE A PEOPLE AT HALF TIME? - Leadership Network

It is apparent that the cultural relevance of
new paradigm churches, including their
contemporary style of evangelism, plays
an important role in their growth and the
strength of their members’ conversion
experiences. By being culturally current,
new paradigm churches aim to keep
nonbelievers from feeling alienated by any
style of dress or ritual associated with
Christianity; instead, they want any
objections to stem from the content of the
teachings, which they refuse to compromise.
In other words, while culturally current
worship unquestionably attracts people to
new paradigm churches, it is equally
important to stress that conversion experiences
focus on the message and not simply
the form of Christianity. In short, the focus
of new paradigm churches is on internal
transformation as opposed to change in
external appearance.
A recurrent theme in our conversations
was that the people encountered in new
paradigm churches are somehow different
from ordinary associates and friends. The
term “real” frequently surfaced as a way of
describing these Christians who seemed to
lack the defensiveness and egocentricity
that is so much a part of the human
condition. One interviewee described his
initial impressions of new paradigm
Christians in this way: “I sensed that the
people were real. The leadership here gave
me the ability to meet God where I was at,
or God met me where I was at.”
At the core of these acculturation
experiences is a radical change in focus
from being self-directed to being Goddirected.
This refocusing of one’s “center
of value” is perhaps best understood as a
basic openness to direction, or leading, by
the Holy Spirit. In any case, many of these
converts reveal a decided deemphasis on
“self ” as typically understood within the
psychological literature on self-fulfillment.
The model instead is one of servanthood.
At a practical level, there is considerable
emphasis on personal discipline and
responsibility, particularly to one’s family.
Indeed, words such as discipleship and
accountability are heard at every turn
within these movements. New-paradigm
churches are “high demand” institutions,
however relaxed and contemporary their
music and organizational structure may
appear. They provide a structuring of
mentoring and accountability for individuals
who are serious about the tough challenges
of changing their lives.
Donald Miller (demiller@mizar.usc.edu) is a
Professor of Religion at the University of
Southern California. His book, The
Reinventing of American Protestantism, is
published by the University of California Press
(1-800-822-6657) and retails for $27.50.
Shortly after the release of his book,
Donald Miller was interviewed by
NEXT, and what follows are highlights
of the interview.
NEXT...What did you want to accomplish
with this book
MILLER...I wanted to
know why Calvary Chapel
could pack 2,200 teenagers
into their church on Monday
night, while my church—
part of a mainline denomination—struggled
to have a
youth program with a dozen
high school age students.
Furthermore, I was well
aware of the “graying” trend
of mainline churches, and I
was intrigued that Vineyard,
Calvary and Hope were
attracting large numbers of
baby boomers and baby
busters.
NEXT...What did you learn in the
process of writing the book
MILLER...On my first visits with the
leaders of these movements, I was struck
by how non-defensive they were. I was
given access to any meeting, was invited to
speak with any staff member, and allowed
to inspect any records. They had nothing to
hide, and I think this “transparency” is
what, in part, attracts people to new
paradigm churches. People can be themselves,
they can admit their problems, they
can seek support and strength, there is no
need to pretend that one is something other
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than a person who needs forgiveness,
love and a chance to be a part of an
inter-dependent community.
When I started my research, I assumed that
liberals had something to teach those who
were “less enlightened.” The further I
moved into this research project, the more
I saw that the opposite might be true:
namely, the declining mainline churches
might have something to learn from these
religious “upstarts.”
NEXT...Are you suggesting that this
new paradigm of church will become
the dominant paradigm in the next
millennium
MILLER...The religious ecology of
America is much too complex for there to
be only one dominant paradigm. I do
expect, however, that denominational
religion as we know it will decline in
importance and the
growth in American
Christianity will be
among churches that take
seriously the need to present
the gospel in a medium
that connects
culturally with its potential
audience.
NEXT...Please distinguish
more clearly the
differences between a
“new paradigm” church
and a “seeker-sensitive”
church.
MILLER...When I started
writing this book, I
began looking for a term
that would describe these movements.
Others have used “post-denominational” or
“seeker-sensitive” church, but none hit me
quite right. New paradigm church seems
broader and more encompassing than
seeker-sensitive.
NEXT...To what degree is this new
reformation tied to the Boomer and
Buster generations Is it more generationally
driven than culturally driven
MILLER...I’m not certain that one can
separate generational issues from cultural
evolution. Indeed, the argument is that
baby boomers have reshaped their culture,
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